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Relative to the World Bank Report entitled Getting a Grip on Climate Change in the Philippines and with its 3 major areas of recommendation in the back of my mind, I have also read that “the Philippines was ranked 18th in KPMG’s 2013 Change Readiness Index (CRI). Change readiness relates to the capability of a country’s agents – its government, private and public enterprises, people and wider civil society – to anticipate, prepare for, manage, and respond to a wide range of change drivers, proactively cultivate the resulting opportunities, and mitigate any potential negative impacts. The 2013 Change Readiness Index ranked 90 countries, measuring them across 26 components to compare capabilities in the areas of enterprise (business environment), government, and people and civil society (social and human capital).”¹

However, change includes negative shocks like natural disasters resulting from climate change. Notwithstanding the KPMG study above, I cannot but be concerned that except for maybe a few of its civil society, the input that KPMG got from the Philippine government, business environment, and the majority of its people as far as reacting and adapting to climate change is more rhetoric rather than concrete actions, more of wanting rather than doing. Recent events in the Philippines portray a government rife in corruption, a business sector incessant in its pursuit of more profit to the detriment of its human capital, and the majority of its populace more focused on having 3 meals on the table. Issues such as adapting to climate change would be the least in each sector’s concerns. Nor would the World Bank’s recommendations for that matter.

Nevertheless, I am convinced that the individual shapes the society, whether it be the government, the business sector or civil society. If I, as an individual Filipino, resolve to act rather than just wish, I can immediately implement the Environment’s 3Rs of REDUCE-REUSE-RECYLE. I can start from my home and family and progressing farther to my friends, community, province and ultimately my entire beloved country the Philippines.